CUSG advocates for sustainable solution to 4/20 gathering

March 11, 2013

By Brittini Hernandez, Student Body President

Over the past few months, CU Student Government (CUSG) has been working with administrators to plan for the upcoming 4/20.

To best represent students, CUSG convened a task force of student leaders from areas across campus to work to develop ideas for short-term and long-term plans for 4/20. The conversations we had with administrators and students have been productive and have established long-term working relationships that will serve students in future years.

We agree with the CU administration that any 4/20 event focused on the active consumption of marijuana has no place on our campus because of the disruption it causes and the safety concerns surrounding such a large gathering. However, we disagree with many of the tactics used in the previous year. After talking with students about a number of concerns and negative impacts from the previous year, we brought those concerns directly to the CU Boulder administration. The campus leadership listened to our concerns and acknowledged some of the impacts of the approach last year.

The administration has begun to address some of our concerns, agreeing, for example, to end the practice of applying fish fertilizer to the Norlin Quad to deter crowds, and also to communicate more frequently and effectively with the student body and the campus community on the reasons for a police presence on 4/20. These actions are greatly appreciated, however, we will continue to ask the administration to do more to minimize the negative impacts of enacting a closure of the campus to non-affiliates on 4/20.

We look forward to continuing to work with CU students and administrators to develop a long-term, sustainable solution to 4/20 that continues to include students in the solution. Our hope is that this long-term solution would keep campus open, remove ID requirements, and open dialogue about drug policy and related issues in our community.